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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28596744">Never let me go</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/makesometime/pseuds/makesometime'>makesometime</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Episode Tag, Established Relationship, Flirting, Idiots in Love, M/M, Spoilers for Episode 180</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:14:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>742</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28596744</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/makesometime/pseuds/makesometime</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zolf and Wilde take a moment before their flight to the Garden.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Zolf Smith/Oscar Wilde</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>99</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Never let me go</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I think this is my first time using the 'established relationship' tag on one of my episode tag fics and that made me... strangely emotional? It's been an emotional week for me, but that means a whole heck of a lot...</p><p>Enjoy this fic that started from the basic mental calculations of six people carried by four eagle claws and ended up just being somft.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Thank you for letting me come with you.”</p><p>Zolf glances up, seeing the smirk that’s playing at the corner of Wilde’s lips. “As if I’m gonna let you out of my sight now. Just got you back.” He hesitates a bit over the quiet smile that inspires, reaching out instead to press his hand to Wilde’s bicep. “‘Sides, you can actually hurt me now if I try and do something you don’t like.”</p><p>“I <em>can</em>.” Wilde’s eyes sparkle. “I’m so glad you’ve realised.”</p><p>Zolf can’t help but chuckle, leaning into Oscar’s side as they await Sumutnyerl and Sohra. Everyone around them seems to be in the same boat - nervous, confused, excited. They should really stay and sort out the issue with Chinua, but he doesn’t want to delay on their first good lead in actual years.</p><p>“You look good like this.” Zolf says, without thinking about it.</p><p>Oscar’s smile turns into a veritable <em>beam</em>, his entire face changing with the force of his reaction. “Like <em>what</em>, darling? Oh, do tell. Properly coiffed, for once? Finely tailored, as I am? Flush with affection for you?”</p><p>Zolf grumbles to himself, wishing the heat in his cheeks had the decency to be affected by the chill air. “You’re such an ass.” He says. “I meant that it’s nice to see you energised like this.”</p><p>“It’s just nice to have direction.” Wilde says, quieter now. Reflective. “You know as much as I do how difficult these past few months have been. Trying to find out <em>anything</em> to make this feel like less of a hopeless task.”</p><p>Zolf leans just a little heavier against Wilde after that, noting the way Hamid’s gaze lingers and he’s talking to Skraak and deciding that it’s really a problem for another time, when they have a moment to breathe. He’s in that awkward stage of a new relationship where on the one hand he wants to selfishly hoard it all for himself, and on the other, he seeks the validation and pleasure of others’ reactions to it.</p><p>“So what are you thinking? Will we be carried or will we get to ride on these birds?”</p><p>Zolf snorts. “Don’t think it’ll be very dignified. Expect they’ll carry us.”</p><p>Wilde’s quiet long enough to make Zolf look up again, only to find him exaggeratedly counting out each of the people who’ll be going on their little jaunt. “Six people. But the last I checked, eagles, no matter how large, only have one set of claws.”</p><p>“What are you getting at?”</p><p>WIlde doesn’t react to his narrowed eyes - if anything, his expression turns even more mischievous. “Well,<em> someone’s</em> going to have to share.”</p><p>“How’s that even going to work?”</p><p>Oscar leans in, stroking a gentle finger along the shell of Zolf’s ear. “I imagine some of us will have to <em>cuddle</em>.”</p><p>He’s too close, like this, for Zolf’s brain to work at anything nearing its proper capacity. He opens his mouth to speak, then closes it again, and doesn’t miss how that makes Wilde smile just a little wider.</p><p>“Naturally, I imagine Hamid and Skraak will <em>couple up</em> shall we say, so…”</p><p>“Fine.” He says, firmly. “Guess it better be you and me. Wouldn’t want to force anyone else to put up with you for a few hours.”</p><p>Wilde’s airy sigh hits his face like a tender caress. He does <em>not</em> shiver.</p><p>“It appears I have fallen for the last of the true romantics.”</p><p>Zolf’s saved from having to figure out a way to respond to <em>that</em> by the doors opening and their hosts joining them once more. Oscar gets to his feet and places a hand at the base of Zolf’s neck as they walk across to join the rest of the party. Just before they get there, Zolf feels Oscar lean down and stiffens, certain he's not gonna like what the man has to say.</p><p>“So, would you rather be the big spoon or the little spoon? I myself have no preference.”</p><p>Zolf groans, rubbing a hand over his forehead. “Look, just. Whatever works, okay?”</p><p>It’s not <em>precisely</em> how he imagined this conversation going, but Oscar’s warm expression as they stand and listen to Sumutnyerl settles some sort of comfortable rightness over his shoulders and maybe that’s just as good.</p><p>He ends up as the little spoon.</p><p>For a flight gripped tight in the claws of a giant eagle, it is... remarkably pleasant.</p><p>He resolves never to admit as much to Wilde.</p>
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